Safety razor



June 2, 1936. T, L SMITH T AL 2,043,124

SAFETY RAZOR .Filed sept. 9, 1955 Patented June 2, 1936 SAFETY RAZOR Theodore L. Smith, Concord, and. Nicholas Testi, Boston, Mass, assignors to Gillette Safety Razor Company, Boston Massu a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1935, Serial No, 39,682

17 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors of the type, employing a sectional cap in, combination with a guard or other blade-supporting member. The general object of the invention is to improve the accuracy and speed of the blade-clamping and releasing operation and to facilitate the convenient manipulation of. the razor by the user.

In using safety razors. of this type as heretofore constructed the blade-clamping operation has been effected by the manipulation of a handle member threaded or provided with a spiral or inclined, cam surface designed to impart a longitudinal movement tothe member when turned by the user. As distinguished from such prior art constructions the present invention contemplates cap sections arranged to be closed and moved into blade-clamping position under spring actuation, that is, the swinging movement of the cap sections toward each other and the movement of translation toward and into blade-clamping position is effected by spring action instead of by an act of the user. Certain important advantages flow from a structure of this character. In the first place, the closing movement of the razor may be effected very quickly and under very sensitive control. For example, the mere tripping of a spring latch mechanism may be utilized to cause the cap sections to snap shut almost instantaneously. In the second place, the closing and clamping operations are invariably carried through to completion and the blade is clamped at each operation with a uniform and adequate pressure. The shaving action of the razor is, therefore, not only rendered more uniform but greater safety is secured to the user since in closing razors of the types previously known an excessive edge exposure of the blade is sometimes brought about by a careless or incomplete bladeclamping manipulation on the part of the user.

With these ends in view, an important feature of the invention consists in a safety razor having sectional cap members in combination with a spring tending at all times to swing the cap sections into blade-clamping position and mechanism under the control of the user for opening the .cap sections and for controlling the action of the spring. As herein shown, the razor is so organized that a single spring controls the pivotal movement of the cap sections into closing. position as well as their joint movement in closed position for clamping the blade and imparting a transverse curvature thereto.

Another feature of the invention consists in a safety razor having spring actuated cap sections so organized and arranged that, in addition to the cap closing movement, the spring may also serve the purpose of holding the cap sections yieldingly in their open position. As herein shown, operating means are provided by which the cap sections are swung a predetermined distance from their normal open position, whereupon the spring is arranged to become effective to snap the. cap sections into closed position.

These and other features. of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for. purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1- is a view. in perspective of the razor in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is aview of the razor in vertical crosssection and on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the razorat right angles to that shown in Fig. 2 and on the same enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the razor in open condition showing a blade in place but with a corner broken away to expose the guard be.- neath it.

In the preferred embodiment of the presentin vention the guard I0, is utilized as a blade-sup!- porting member for shaping the blade when it "is clamped in shaving position. The guard 10 is constructed of heavy. sheet metal and provided along its longitudinal edges with guard teeth ll of the usual construction. It is formed by diepressing and bending a single blank and is provided with an elongated depressed recess or chamber l2 of diamond-shaped contour and this chamber is bounded about its upper margin by outwardly extending convex blade-supporting faces. The guard is provided centrally at each endwith a slotted opening through the wall of the chamber I2 to permit the passage of the ends 2| of the bar l9, to be presently described. It is also provided adjacent each corner with a rectangular opening or notch l3 and these permit the free passage of the cap section arms 25.

The guard Ill is rigidly connected to. a tubular head l4, best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner end of the head l4 being spun or riveted to fill a counter-sunk opening in the bottom of the recess I2. The head is shouldered near its lower end to receive the handle barrel l5. Within the barrel is disposed a spindle l8 threaded at its lower end into a cylindrical plunger 28 which is arranged to slide longitudinally in a second head I6 closing the lower end of the handle barrel IS.

in the upper end of the spindle I8 is pivotally mounted the downwardly extending stem of the cross bar l9, the pivot connection permitting a slight rocking and equalizing movement in the bar I9 and the blade carrier of which it is a part. The bar is made by longitudinally folding a sheet metal blank and its ends 2| are offset downwardly and pass out through the slots in the ends of the recess [2 of the guard. The offset ends 2| terminate in outwardly extending transverse arms 22 which extend across the ends of the guard and are movable freely up and down with the bar [9 and its spindle l8 and independently of the guard.

In Fig. 4 is shown one form of blade 23 suitable for use in the razor of my invention. It is provided with a central longitudinally extending blade-locating slot designed to fit accurately upon the bar l9 and has reentrant recesses in each corner which define an elongated unsharpened centrally disposed portion at each end of the blade. The blade is sharpened at its opposite longitudinal edges for shaving and the slot may be provided with spaced transverse enlargements for the reception of blade-locating studs of various shapes in other safety razors.

The transverse arms 22 of the bar l9 are located beneath the elongated ends of the blade 23 and act to lift the blade and move it above the blade-engaging face -of the guard when the bar I9 and the carrier structure associated therewith is moved upwardly.

The cap sections 24 are transversely concave in contour and co-operate with the guard ID in imparting a transverse curvature to the blade when the latter is clamped in shaving position. Each cap section 24 is provided at each of its outer corners with a downwardly extending arm 25 and these arms in turn are pivotally connected to the outwardly extending arms 22 of the carrier. Each of the arms 25 is adapted to pass downwardly through one of the recesses I3 in the corners of the guard and each arm is formed at its lower end or otherwise provided with a semi-circular inwardly projecting cam piece 26. These cam pieces 26 are adapted to co-operate with the stationary shoulder of the guard adjacent the recess [3 when the carrier is raised and accordingly act to swing the cap sections into open position as the carrier is moved upwardly. In this movement the .arms 25 swing outwardly into substantially horizontal position, as shownin Fig. 4 and the cap sections rest upon the guard teeth H, the flat faces of the cams 26 extending almost vertically in this position of the cap sections. In the downward movement of the carrier the pivot points of the arms 25, being moved past the walls of the recesses l3, the arms are swung upwardly and the cap sections moved toward their closed position, the cams 26 turning and passing endwise through the notches I3.

The spindle l8 and its associated parts are normally urged downwardly by a strong compression spring 29 which encircles the spindle I8, bearing at its upward end against the lower end of the stationary head l4 and its lower end against the upper end of the plunger 28. The

plunger 28 is guided in its longitudinal movement by a cross pin 30 which extends through an elon- ,gated slot near the lower end of the plunger 28.

The plunger 28 is cut away on both sides at its lower end to form a thin centrally disposed tongue 21 and this is received between the two side members 3i of a slotted disk which is journaled to turn about a transverse pin 32 in the lower head [6. of the handle. The disk is also provided with a centrally disposed eccentric 33 flattened on one side of its circumference andarranged to engage at all times with the end' of the tongue 21 of the plunger 28 and to deter-- mine the longitudinal position thereof in co-operation with the compression spring 29.

The spring 29 serves as an actuating member or replacement the user turns the disk elements 3! between the thumb and finger in either direction and thereby causes the eccentric 33 to lift the plunger 28 carrying the bar l9 upwardly against the compression of the spring 29 and causing the cap sections 24 to be swung outwardly into open position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A condition of equilibrium is established by the engagement of the flat portion of the eccentric with the fiat end of the tongue 2? in turning the eccentric in either direction, From this position the spring 29 is further com-- pressed by movement of the eccentric in either direction so that it tends to hold the razor parts in open condition, that is, in turning the eccentric so as to displace its fiat face from the: horizontal position one corner or the other mo-- mentarily lifts the plunger 28, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2. On the other hand, when it is desired to close the razor the user has only to turn the disk sections 3| sufficiently to cause the eccentric 33 to release the spindle l8, whereupon the spring 29 becomes effective instantly to force the spindle downwardly and cause the cap sections 24 first to snap into closed position and then to move downwardly as a unit into blade-clamping position, fiexing the blade 23 transversely into conformity with the convex face of the guard.

It will be noted that in this turning movement of the eccentric 33 there is a critical point of stability when either corner of the fiat face of the eccentric is brought into line with the pins 30 and 32. Within that angle of about 60 the pressure of the spring 29 tends to return the eccentric to the position shown in Fig. 2 and to maintain the cap sections in open position. However, when the eccentric is turned the slightest degree in either direction beyond this critical point the spring becomes effective to kick the eccentric around to its lowermost position as in Fig. 3 and to snap the cap sections into closed and blade-flexing position.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A safety razor having a convex guard member, concave cap sections co-operating therewith to fiex a blade thereon and mounted for bodily movement toward and from the guard and also pivotal movement to cover or uncover the guard, a spring acting at all times to close the cap sections and move them into blade-flexing position, and positively acting means for retracting the cap sections and opening them in opposition to the action of the spring.

2. A safety razor having a guard member, pivotally mounted cap sections co-operating therewith to clamp a blade thereagainst, a spring tending at all times to swing the cap sections into blade-clamping position, and mechanism under the control of the user for positively opening said cap sections against the action of said spring.

3. A safety razor having a guard member, pivotally mounted cap sections co-operating therewith to clamp a blade thereagainst, a spring tending at all times to swing the cap sections into blade-clamping position, and means rotatable on an axis parallel to that of the cap sections for positively opening the cap sections.

4. A safety razor comprising a member having a blade-supporting face, a cap for flexing a blade thereon consisting of sections pivotally mounted adjacent to the opposite edges of said member and outside its blade-supporting face, and a spring for moving the closed cap sections as a unit toward said face in a path at right angles thereto and for swinging the cap sections for covering the same.

5. A safety razor comprising a member having a blade-supporting face, a cap for flexing a blade thereon consisting of sections pivotally mounted adjacent to the outer edges of said member, and a spring having connections for moving the closed cap sections as a unit toward said face in a path at right angles thereto and for preliminarily swinging them to cover the same.

6. A safety razor comprising a guard member having a blade-supporting face, a carrier movable with respect to said face into and out of position to engage a blade resting thereon, cap sections pivotally mounted on the carrier for swinging movement toward and away from said face, and a spring tending always to maintain the capsections in closed position.

7. A safety razor comprising a guard having a blade-supporting face, a carrier having a bladelifting portion which is movable from a position below said face into an elevated position with respect thereto and being adapted in said movement to pick up a blade from said face, spring means for moving the carrier downwardly and positive means for moving the carrier upwardly, and cap sections mounted on the carrier and arranged to be opened when the carrier is elevated.

8. A safety razor comprising a member having a blade-supporting face, a carrier having a bladelifting portion which is movable with respect to the plane of said face, cap sections pivotally mounted upon said carrier, connections arranged to lock the cap sections against separating movement when the carrier is located below said face, and a spring tending at all times to move the carrier into its locked position.

9. A safety razor comprising a blade-supporting member, a carrier movably mounted thereon, cap sections pivotally connected to the carrier, a spring arranged to move the carrier and closed cap sections into blade-clamping position, and positive means for first retracting the cap sections from blade-clamping position and then causing them to swing into open position.

10. A safety razor comprising a blade-supporting member, a carrier mounted for movement adjacent to said member, cap sections pivotally connected to the carrier for movement about parallel axes, and spring actuated means constructed and arranged first to swing the cap sections on the carrier and then to move the carrier and closed cap sections as a unit in clamping a blade in position upon said blade-supporting member.

11, A safety razor comprising a guard, a handle rigidly connected thereto, a carrier having a blade-lifting face and being movably mounted upon the guard, a spring in the handle for moving the carrier downwardly with respect to the guard, positively acting mechanism within the handle for moving the carrier upwardly, and cap sections pivotally mounted on the carrier and so related to the guard as to be locked against transverse movement while the carrier is in lowered position and to be freed to swing outwardly when the carrier occupies a more elevated position.

12. A safety razor comprising a guard having a blade-shaping face, a blade carrier including bars extending transversely across the ends of the guard and being located below the face of the guard when the razor is clamped in shaving condition, co-operating cap sections pivotally mounted upon the carrier, and a spring tending 14. A safety razor having cap and guard memhers, a handle, a spring tending at all times to move the cap and guard members into blade-v clamping position, a push rod in the handle arranged to open the cap and an eccentric member mounted in the handle to turn about an axis transverse thereto for moving the push rod in opposition to said spring.

15. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member, pivotally mounted cap sections co-operating therewith to clamp a blade thereagainst, a spring tending at all times to move the cap sections into blade-clamping position, and mechanism under the control of the user for timing the point at which said spring becomes operative in the operation of closing the razor.

16. A safety razor having a guard member, pivotally mounted cap sections co-operating therewith to clamp a blade thereagainst, a spring tending at all times to swing the cap sections toward each other, and rotatable means for preventing the action of said spring until moved in one direction or another out of a dead center position.

17. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member, pivotally mounted cap sections co-operating therewith, a spring and .an eccentric for controlling the position of the cap sections, the eccentric having a flat side and tending through a limited angle of movement to return to a predetermined position.

THEODORE L. SMITH. NICHOLAS TES'I'I. 

